"Dream Home" at PIFF

Program Note
What would you do, if someone blocked your view? Cheng's dream home with a magnificent sea view seems forever out of reach. Suddenly she realizes, in order to get what she wants, she must take matters into her own hands even if it means getting her hands seriously bloody. When I saw [Dream Home], the first thing that came to my mind was 'an ordinary woman can really go that far to get what she wants?' Funny thing is that the film is based on the event that actually happened in Hong Kong. The way the director Pang describes an ordinary woman turning into a pure evil gives the audience chills. Josie Ho who plays Cheng Lai-sheung brings out this demonic character so well, I wouldn’t want to meet her in person. I have to say Dream Home isn’t for everyone because it shows what a real slasher is all about. One more thing, reality truly is stranger than fiction.

Director
PANG Ho-Cheung
Born and raised in Hong Kong, the acclaimed Pang Ho-Cheung is an author—whose first novel, Fulltime Killer was adapted into a film directed by Johnnie To—and Berlin Silver Bear-winner for Isabella (2006). Pang’s films include Dream Home (2010), Exodus (2007), A/V (2005), Beyond Our Ken (2004), and You Shoot, I Shoot (2001).

Credits
Director: PANG Ho-Cheung
Producer: Andrew OOI
Cast: Josie HO, Eason CHAN, Derek TSANG, Lawrence CHOU, Juno MAK, Michelle YE
Screenwriter: PANG Ho-Cheung, Derek TSANG, Jimmy WAN
Cinematography: YU Lik Wai -H.K.S.C.(Hong Kong Society of Cinematographers)
Art Director: MAN Lim Chung
Editor: Wenders LI -H.K.S.C.(Hong Kong Society of Cinematographers)
Sound: TU Duu-chih
Music: Gabriele ROBERTO
Production Company: ZHAO WEI FILMS

Source: piff 2010 10.08.2010

"Lover's Discourse" Premieres at PIFF

Having filmed Lover's Discourse just over a year ago, the Eason Chan and Karena Lam starring film made its world premiere at the 15th Pusan International Film Festival on October 12, 2010.

Program Note
Reuniting with a long-lost sweetheart provokes the nascent sense of love, the now-faded memory of heartbreaks, and odd discoveries of belonging to others. [Lover’s Discourse] tells a cliché love story in an irresistibly sweet language. It shows us a multitude of hopes and the desperation of blind love, strange distances between partners, and a double affair. The story soon leads to the tangled threads of suspicion, jealousy, betrayal, and hatred.

[Lover’s Discourse] is an omnibus movie that weaves four love stories into one. Each episode is independent of the next yet each is interconnected. Characters in an individual episode add novel perspectives to the story and thicken the plot. Jumping genres from traditional romance to thriller, we cover [Lover’s Discourse] in familiar movie-speak.

Director
Derek Tsang
Born in Hong Kong to an industry family, Derek Tsang began his career at Peter Chan’s Applause Pictures following studies in Canada. He has since worked at all levels of production for the Pang Brothers and Pang Ho-Cheung. With partner Jimmy Wan, Lover’s Discourse is his feature debut.

Jimmy Wan
Jimmy Wan was born in Hong Kong and graduated from the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts. He has worked in advertising and in film production, and began his own career as a writer working with Pang Ho-Cheung. With partner Derek Tsang he makes his feature debut with Lover’s Discourse.

Credits
Director: Derek TSANG, Jimmy WAN
Producer: Bill KONG, CHIBA Ryuhei, Hugh SIMON
Cast: Eason CHAN, Karena LAM, Kay TSE
Screenwriter: Derek TSANG, Jimmy WAN
Cinematography: Charlie LAM
Art Director: CHAU Cheuk Wai Kitty
Editor: Derek TSANG
Sound: NIP Kei Wing
Music: Peter KAM
Production Company: Irresistible Films

Source: piff 2010 10.12.2010

"Strawberry Cliff" Makes Its Premiere at PIFF

After more than two years since this blog posted news about Strawberry Cliff, the film (finally) made its world premiere at the 15th Pusan International Film Festival on October 8, 2010.

Program Note
Kate has a special talent. She can foresee exactly when others are going to die just by looking at their faces. One day, she meets a young man named Jason and informs him of his time of death and that he will be able to tell her about life after death. Jason promises he will send messages to her from beyond-if that is even possible, of course. At the time of his predicted death, Jason is mysteriously killed. Kate then receives a call from someone who claims to be Jason and a flight ticket to Hong Kong, where she discovers the painful truth about love, life, and death.

Director Chris Chow was born in China and raised in Hong Kong and learned filmmaking in the United States. As if to reflect his own cross-border experiences, Chow mixed Eastern and Western ideas together to unravel the mysterious story involving prediction and death in an intriguing, yet serious, way.

Director
Chris CHOW
Born in China and raised in Hong Kong, writer Chris Chow is a graduate of USC. As well as a screenwriter, Chow is a playwright and has directed several short films, two of which are award-winners. His credits as writer include Blood: The Last Vampire (2009) and Fearless (2006). Strawberry Cliff is his feature directorial debut.

Credits
Director: Chris CHOW
Producer: LU Cien-hioe, LEE Chi-ngai, Mathew TANG
Cast: Eason CHAN, Roy WERNER, Anthony CHAPUT, Leslie-Anne HUFF
Screenwriter: Chris CHOW
Cinematography: YOSHIDA Teruhisa
Art Director: NAKANISHI Rika
Editor: Daniel MARTINICO
Sound: Michael BAIRD
Music: YAMAMOTO Youki
Production Company: Mega Ascent Ltd.

Source: piff 2010 10.08.2010

Also noted at the PIFF were 2 other films in which Eason starred, Lover's Discourse (which also made its world premiere) and Dream Home.